Just A Game
by AnimeBlondie
Summary: Michiko doesn't really care about anything. Money. Status. Power. Love. It all seems irrelevant to her. All she does is stay in her room. Her parents get fed up with her and declare that they will disown her the moment she turns 18 which is half a year away. They suggest she enroll in Ouran Private High School and get a husband to support her. [Read more inside!]
1. 1 - You Are Going To Ouran!

**Michiko doesn't really care about anything. Money. Status. Power. Love. It all seems irrelevant to her. All she does is stay in her room. Her parents get fed up with her and declare that they will disown her the moment she turns 18 which is half a year away. They suggest she enroll in Ouran Private High School and get a husband to support her. Her grades slip and the other students seem to fear her, or her filthy rich parents, and the only entertainment she finds is shaking things up in the "perfect family" of the host club. [No Honey or Mori!] {KyoyaXOc and HaruXTami}**

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**I don't own any of the characters or the anime/manga that is Ouran HSHC. I just made up this story for fun**

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**Chapter One ~ You're Going To Ouran!**

Michiko sat in the comfort of her room bumping to her favorite rock band. The Macabre. Their music was awesome. For her sixteenth birthday, her parents had them sing for her. Now a year later, things were so different. She was no longer going to school, having dropped out as a result of an ordeal that left her without ambitions. She just stayed in her room on her computer, finding entertainment that didn't result in her leaving her room. Her personal maid brought her food every few hours of the day and a private bathroom was built into her room.

She knew her parents were worried and when that happened they usually made insane decisions.

_Knock, knock!_

"Come in," she said, not taking her eyes off the screen.

The door opened and her parents, dressed in formal attire, entered her room. They stood there in the middle of her room in silence. She tried to ignore them, typing away at the keys. She couldn't help but pause and glance up at them. Their presence made her usually uncomfortable.

Sighing in defeat, Michiko finished a last sentence and then slowly drew her hands away from the keys. With that, she slowly looked up at them, giving that her complete attention.

"Yes?" she said.

"It has been half a year. We expect you to re-enroll-"

She gave them a look [_Like this - _(-_-)]. "Not happening."

"Then, you have a choice to make," spoke her father, who seldom ever said anything to her. He was indeed her step-father, yet her mother always pushed her treat him like a father. According to Mama-dear, her father had abandoned them as soon as he heard that Michiko was conceived.

"Either become disowned or attend Ouran Academy like your brother (half-brother)."

"Are those my only choices?" she asked in half mock. "I chose disowned."

"What?!" exclaimed her mother. "You-"

"I don't really care-"

Her father laughed humorless. "Too bad. You're going to Ouran!" With that he stormed out.

Michiko was a naturally laid back and calm person, except when she was excited about something. She became a bunny-rabbit with a limitless amount of energy, hopping about non stop. Her friends from America called it her Bubble- Effect. She was born as a single calm floating bubble but then she split into a frenzy of tinier bubbles. That's why as a nickname, they called her Bub.

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Michiko hated the Ouran Academy uniform for the girls. Her parents couldn't go to Tokyo with her so she had to rent an apartment in the city. There was no way she was going to move in with her brother. She was able to get her hand on a guy's uniform and an idea formed in her head. It would be a great way to start the year...

"Haruhi, why are you so mean to Daddy?" cried Tamaki.

"Because! You're! Annoying! Me!" Haruhi pushed him away from her. He had just randomly come up to her and hugged her from behind. His warm breath on her neck as he spoke. He almost saw her rose-red blush. It was all she could do not to run away embarrassed.

Hikaru and Kaoru could be seen laughing at their King as he crawled over to a corner to sulk, in the background. One would think that as a third year, Tamaki would have matured, but no. Mori and Honey no longer went Ouran, having graduated the year before. Though, they visited them often.

A first year had replaced one of them. His name was Keichiiro Kururuki. He had a cold and careless heart, though girls seem to like his bad boy exterior. According to Kyoya-sempai, he was the only son of a very successful business person who was in the business of toy manufacture and distribution.

For a person raised in a playful atmosphere, Kururuki_-kun_ lacked his inner child. Even Kyoya had an inner child as hard as it was to believe. Haruhi had seen it in a few rare occasions.

"You should try smiling," said Haruhi, standing beside him.

He grimaced. "Hn.."

"And you should try dressy girlie!" he snapped.

"Pleasant attitudes, Keichiiro_-kun_" said Kyoya cooly, appearing from out of nowhere.

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I'm out of here."

The other five host members watched as Kei left.

Haruhi came home later than usual. She had to stay after with the twins since it was their turn to lock the club room and make sure everything was spit-spot for the next morning.

Her father was worried, but calmed down after she explained. As she entered the kitchen, she was greeted by a smiling pale face.

"_Ohayo_!" the girl greeted. She looked a little older than herself. Maybe twenty-one.

"I just moved in next door," she said in an apologetic tone. My utilities don't seem to be working so your auntie let me use yours'. I hope you don't mind."

Haruhi felt frozen. The girl looked like a supermodel. She had flowing, beautiful blonde hair, and sparkling violet-crimson eyes. Her skin was flawless. She was tall and thin. Her style was a bit odd though. A pair of giant indigo-blue headphones were on her head. She wore multiple rings on her fingers, multiple bracelets on her wrists, and multiple necklaces around her neck. Her bubble-gum pink jacket looked like silk. Under it was a pure white satin spaghetti strap shirt. For bottoms she wore a frilly turquoise skirt with tight pink leg warmers, and five-inch strappy white heels that looked painful to walk in.

Her dad appeared behind Haruhi. "Hyuuga-san," he said. "This is my daughter. I think you're around her age."

"Please, dad," Haruhi rolled her eyes.

"Mou, what's that suppose to mean?" she pouted. "I'm only seventeen?"

Haruhi's eyes widened. "S-s-s-seventeen? That can't be..."

The girl, Hyuuga-_san_, smirked like a narcissist. "I know it's so hard to believe since I'm so breathtakingly beautiful." She did a complete spin right there in the middle of the kitchen and finished with wink as if she were a spokesperson on TV.

_Is she serious?_

"Do you need any help unpacking?" asked her father.

She straightened up as if breaking out of a role. "Nah, I'll be fine. I'll finish after school." Her gaze suddenly dropped on Haruhi. She suddenly rushed to her and grabbed her wrist and brought it up to her eyes.

Haruhi, annoyed, pulled her arm back. "What's your problem?" she demanded.

The girl only smiled. "Looks like we'll be attending the same school, Fujioka-_san_." There was no getting this girl mad. She walked pass them, excusing herself.

"So when's dinner?" laughed her dad.

Haruhi sighed.

Michiko stood outside, staring out at the crescent moon that began the month. It was her favorite one. She always imagine a black cat in the sky smiling at her side-ways where two bright stars made up the eyes. Her younger brother had shown her it once and now that was all she could see when she looked up at the night sky.

A year and a half ago, during one of his visits to America, they got into this big argument and had not spoken since.

"Brace yourself, _crybaby_," she whispered to the moon as she made her way back inside to her apartment.

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_**Please Tell me what you think**_

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Next Time on _Just A Game: _**Chapter Two - American Mysteries**

_Even though things seem so plain and straight forward, everything is shadowed in secrecy. Secrets that each Host is keeping from the others..._


	2. 2 - American Mysteries

_**I hope you like this chapter please tell me what you think. I look forward to your feed back!**_

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**Chapter Two **

_** American Mysteries**_

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Hijiri-sensei was ten minutes late that day. He was the homeroom teacher of Tamaki, Umehito-kun, and Kyoya. He was notorious for being super late, so this was kind of early for her. He shuffled through papers before he got out his attendance book.

"Before I start, I'd like to announce that we will be having a transfer student from America join our class for the rest of the semester and a half," said Hijiri-sensei. "It seems like she's not-"

Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock!

It was an annoying rhythmic knock at the door. Hijiri-sensei walked towards the door only to see the new transfer student. Being from America, she was just as Kyoya had expected, though he did not expect her to disgrace the uniform of Ouran. It was a combination of the girls and the boys. The skirt of the girls' uniform was cut short and had trimmings of lace along the hem. The bodice of the dress had been combined with the dress shirt of the boys' uniform. The jacket had its sleeves shortened the the elbows with lace trimming at the neck and cuffs. The only thing left untouched was her shoes.

"Sorry, I'm late, sensei," she smiled bashfully. "This is such a big school that I got lost." The Kansai accent she held did not escape the attentions of the students in the class.

Hijiri-sensei sighed. "Take a seat. We'll let it slide, since it's your first day."

"Arigato, sensei," replied the girl in a giggly voice. She bounced into a seat right between Kyoya and Tamaki, to everyone's surprise.

The girl had been introduced as Hyuuga Michiko. Kyoya had never heard of her before. Could she related to the Hyuuga Family of Hokkaido who own a chain of hotels throughout the entire world. There was no record of any teenage daughters in the family, though.

Kyoya always made it a point to find out everything he had to know about anything and more. Not knowing about the girl beside him was a bit irritating. He decided that once he was out of the class he would do further research on her, but for now he would observe her. Her expression during class was blank. He noticed her spin her pencil on her desk. Probably an involuntary habit of hers. Towards the end of the class, Hijiri-sensei asked her a question partaining to the class. Economics 103.

Her expression relaxed and her hand froze its movement with the pencil. It looked like she was going to give an answer that would leave them all dumb-founded. That's when she laughed. "I dunno," she said. The question had been, "How does the ceteris paribus assumption affect a demand curve?" It was so simple. He wanted to answer for her, but Hijiri-sensei spoke first.

"I see." He looked disappointed. "Class for homework I would like you to pair off and write a detailed paper on the question just given. It will be due on Monday and I expect it in first-thing in the morning. Unless Hyuuga-san can answer the next pop question correctly, this will occur often."

"You should study more," said Tamaki easily enough as class ended. "One paper isn't bad but if it occurs to much you won't make many friends." He was acting his usual princely self.

Michiko smiled. "I guess you're right. I'm just not into academics, so whenever I try to study I end up falling asleep."

Kyoya's eye began to twitch from a mixture of fury and disbelief that was boiling inside of him. 'So much for wise child...' [A/N: "Michiko" means beautiful, wise child in Japanese.]

"What are you into?" asked Tamaki getting ready to leave.

Michiko giggled. "It's a secret," she whispered loudly, in English. With that said, her hand shifted in a movement he didn't anticipate, taking something out from behind Tamaki's ear. When they looked, Kyoya saw that it was his pen. An old pen that he usually kept buried in a concealed compartment in his bag.

"How-"

She tossed it over to him before skipping out of the class.

Kyoya Ootori and Tamaki Suoh were definitely the most handsome students in that first class. Neither of them fit her criteria, though. Kyoya looked too calculating and Tamaki seemed too pre-madonna. All she wanted was a guy who would let her have the liberty to do as she pleased and both of them looked like they liked to have control of the women in their life. Her second class was something called Proper Mannerism 101. Her step father had pushed it, it would seem.

Michiko was too tired by that first class and decided to get a little shut eye. The libraries were out of the question. Just standing outside the doors and she knew that. After quite a bit of searching she finally found a quite looking place. It was supposed to be some kind of music room but it was completely empty of any form of organic life.

She took a few steps inside looking around and found that she had been wrong. There was a guy at the piano who was playing a too familiar melody.

"I was wondering when you'd come to see me..."

Tamaki laughed. It was music to her ears but she didn't like that he found her new next door neighbor amusing. Haruhi, Kyoya, and Tamaki had been able to get excused from class to prepare for the school festival that was nearing.

"I'd like to meet her," he commented.

"I'm sure you could charm even here," said Haruhi sarcastically.

"She can't be any worse than the new student in our class," commented Kyoya as he opened the door to the music room. They all froze when they saw Michiko standing behind Keiichiro who was playing the piano. A Melody not even Tamaki recognized. It must have been an original.

"That's her!" said both Haruhi and Kyoya in unison. For some reason each in a whisper.

"It's been awhile, Mi-chan," he smirked.

Michiko and Keiichiro didn't seem to notice them.

Michiko laughed humorless.

"You haven't been getting into trouble again, have you?" There was a superior tone in Keiichiro's voice.

Michiko didn't respond.

"Oh, so you have." Keiichiro chuckled wickedly. "How embarrassing." He paused. "If you need anything, you know where to find me."

Michiko turned her back to him. Though she couldn't see them (since Tamaki made them hide the moment they started talking), they could see the hurt expression in her face as she said, "As if!"

"If you really want to survive in this world, you have to get rid of that stupid pride of yours." His usual cold attitude returned.

"Don't provoke me, " said Michiko in an angered low tone. "Expulsion doesn't bother me one bit. I'll kick your ass into the next life."

Tamaki didn't miss that brief look of trepidation on Keiichiro.

"Tread lightly, Kei-kun. That goes for the nosy nobodies who are watching, too!" she said through clenched teeth before she walked out of the music room the way she had come.

Tamaki rushed over to Keiichiro knocking him out of the seat in the process. "Who was that, Keiichiro?" he said with expressive eyes.

"No one important," he replied getting up.

"She sure sounded important," said Kyoya.

"Isn't it obvious?" said Haruhi, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "They have the same eyes. A rare a vibrant greenish blue that are passed through direct bloodline. She's either your mother and your sister."

"What?!" exclaimed Tamaki. "You have a sister. Why haven't you told us?"

"Half!" he corrected. "And I didn't tell you because we hate each other."

Michiko slammed her fist against the trunk of a tree making some of the cherry blossom petals sprinkle over her head. 'That cocky son of a- Ugh! I can't stand his ass!' A year ago they had a fight and hadn't spoken since, neither of them wanting to.

"Aww, don't harm your dainty hands," said a mischievous voice from right behind her, pressing a hand to her shoulder.

If you don't want to die, then I suggest you get your filthy hands off me! That's what she would have normally said. She couldn't say that. Men didn't respond well to temperamental girls. Just calm down, Michiko. She took a silent deep breath and turned around with a bright and cheerful smile on, like she had when she had first spoken to Tamaki and Kyoya.

"Oops!" she said in an apologetic tone. "I guess I wasn't paying attention. My mind goes overboard when I'm in new surroundings."

Behind her were two twins she recognized as the Hitachin Brothers. Their mother was a famous fashion designer, which presented itself in them. The night she met Ryoji and his daughter, term used loosely since last seeing Haruhi dressed as a guy, she did extensive research on the most eligible male students who attended Ouran Private High School. The Ouran Host Club came up. René Tamaki Richard de Grantaine, Kyoya Ootori, Kaoru Hitachin, Hikaru Hitachin, and Haruhi Hitachin. Three had been crossed off her list as the day progressed. Now looking at the Hitachin Brothers, she knew that the Ouran Host Club didn't contain her ideal husband.

"Are you okay?" asked one of the twins. She noticed one of them had a scratch just above his left eyebrow. She decided to call him Twin 1 and the other Twin 2.

"I'm kind of lost," she said, feining embarassment to seem more innocent. "Do you know where the infirmary is? I feel kind of light-headed. Ouran is bigger than I thought!"

"Don't worry you'll get used to it," said Twin 2. With that the two twins showed her to the infirmary and told the head nurse about how she was feeling. Though it was unneccessary.

Michiko noticed Twin 1 talking to the nurse' assistant and was surprised to see Twin 2 frowning. 'What was that about?'

Brothers are weird, she concluded before falling into dreamland.

Loneliness... Heartbreak... Hopelessness... Isolation... Sorrow... Depression... Tears... Rain... Black... Dark skies...

It happened the same each time. That horrible nightmare that never changed and always came at the most inopportune of moments.

Her body still shook with the trauma of the dream and her face was covered in her own cold sweat. She calmed down as her surrounding began to feel familiar. It was just a dream. No. It actually happened. She wanted to forget, but-

Her eyes squeezed shut and when they opened again the Ootori boy's face was above her. She jumped when she saw it and nearly fell off the bed if his hand wasn't tightly wrapped around her forearm.

"Good, you're awake," he said with a cool smile.

Michiko snatched her hand back and glared at him. "Are you trying to scare the daylights out of me?" she exclaimed.

"That's some way to thank the guy who covered for you in class," he said calmly sitting down at the chair next to the bed she had been on.

"What?" She sat back down on the bed.

"I told the teacher that you weren't feeling well and that I would gladly give you the assignments for today."

'It's the end of the day?'

"Why would you do that?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

Michiko frowned. "Because you don't like me." His expression changed briefly before he covered it up again. "Your eyes give you away. There's too much of everything in there."

"What are you a lie detector?" He bent down and picked up a packet of papers from the ground and handed it to them. "I took the liberty of organizing them and writing down some studying tips to help you with the homework. It's on the sheet at the back."

She smiled realizing that he was only doing it for himself. He didn't want to have to write research papers every day so he was making sure that she wouldn't screw up.

"Alright, Slick. I'll play along," she said. "What, are you gonna give me a ride home now?"

"Of course," he said with a cool smile that made her want to punch him in the face. He was such a fake. "By the way, who's Sakura? You kept mentioning her name in your dreams. Another sibling you're feuding with."

She followed him silently, holding back the lump that had appeared in her throat from the moment he mentioned the name 'Sakura'. No. Not again.

Kyoya watched her go inside.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't pin down the kind of person Michiko was, much less who she was. She acted sweet and kind with Tamaki, over dramatic with him, angry and irrational with Keiichiro, and absent-minded with teachers. He wouldn't forget what he saw when she slept. At first she was calm and looked at peace. The infirmary was nearly empty when she started look like she was having a bad dream, a frown marring her forehead and her lips trembling.

She called out but one name Sakura. 'Sakura, don't leave me too' was what she said. That's when she awoke with a gasp.

Michiko Hyuuga.

She sure was a puzzle, one he was determined to solve.

'What an American mystery,' he thought before getting back inside the limo and telling the driver to go back to his house.

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**Chapter Three - The Harpy Lady Client**

_Michiko had been caught off guard the first day, but was determined to become a refined young lady with a little twist of her own, of course. All it took was sugar, spice and everything not-so-nice..._

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_**Thanks for everyone who reviewed my story. I really appreciate it. I urge any kind of criticism.**_

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_**In my mind, this is how Michiko looks like -.**_


	3. 3 - The Harpy Lady Client

**Chapter Three**

_**The Harpy Lady Client**_

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_"Light and soft and fluffy,_

_Melt in your mouth_

_I'll give you happiness!_

_Dream-colored Pâtissière!_

_"I've been feeling good ever since_

_I took a chance and opened that door._

_Welcome to my sweet kingdom_

_Bon Appétit!_

_"Though I really sucked at first,_

_I didn't flinch and improved by the day!_

_I won't give up!_

_Courage!_

_"If I polish my dream, it'll become a shining jewel,_

_Please, lend my you power!_

_"A Magic to make you smile,_

_Even when you want to cry,_

_Just making something delicious_

_Is just so fun!_

_"Light and soft and fluffy,_

_Melt in your mouth_

_I'll give you happiness!_

_Dream-colored Pâtissière!_

_La, la-la, la, la-la-la!_

_Give my dream wings!"_

Michiko sang aloud as she prepared everything to get ready for the lemon cake she was going to make. In the time she spent by herself off in the United States, she had grown a strong appreciation for the arts. The culinary arts, the musical arts, the preforming arts, and so on. Her dream had been to become a singer who mixed traditional Japanese with Italian classical and Western Pop music.

Lemon cake was her absolute favorite, and it was always fun to make. The ingredients consisted of cake flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, softened butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon juice, buttermilk, homemade buttermilk, and lemon curd.

She heated the oven to 350 degrees F* and then began to sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together. She was in the middle of beating the butter and sugar when someone entered the kitchen.

"S'il vous plaît, prenez un siège, intrus," she said absent-mindedly. (Please, take a seat, interloper)

"E~tsu?"(What?)

Haruhi!

"I sorry! I go into my own world when I'm cooking."

"School starts in an hour and a half and the train comes in 15 minutes."

"Oh, I don't take the train," she said, halting her movements as she noticed the beaten butter, mixing eggs that she added one at a time, turn light and fluffy. "So cramped and noise that I just take a taxi."

"Taxi!" exclaimed Haruhi. "Do you know how much that costs every year?"

Michiko laughed as she beat in the vanilla extract and reduced her speed as she started to add the flour mixture in thirds with the lemon juice and buttermilk. "It's not my money, so I don't really care."

"Whose money is it?"

"Just another someone I don't get along with." Michiko divided the batter between pans and popped it into the oven with the utmost care.

Haruhi could tell that she didn't want to talk about it so she decided to change the subject. "What are you making?"

Michiko brightened, smiling honestly. "Gâteau mousseline au citron," she said simply. "It's a lemon chiffon cake. I feel like we got off on the wrong foot. I'm not really an infuriating person—" she suddenly blushed "—I just wanted to see what it would be like to push you all to your limits."

"You were doing all that… on purpose?" Haruhi's eye twitched understanding now why Kyoya found her so maddening.

"Yeah. Sorry Again!" She went a cupboard and took out a small cooking timer, winding it up. "It should be done in 45 minutes and then it'll need twenty or so minutes to cool."

"Won't you miss class?" She looked over to see Kyoya, standing in the kitchen beside Haruhi. "Sensei won't be pleased."

She grinned. "I don't think Hijiri will mind much for what I have in store for him."

Kyoya walked over to her, sitting down on the chair she used to reach the high cupboards. "Haruhi the train comes in ten minutes."

With a gasp and a muffled curse, Haruhi he was off.

"Did you follow the notes?" he asked, his eyes trailed her to the refridgerator where she took out a pitcher of some dark-orange liquid.

"It was a bit confusing but I managed," she said, filling two tall glasses of the mysterious liquid.

"What is it?" he asked as she set one tall glass in front of him.

"Try it."

"What if I don't like it?" He looked down at it, skeptically.

"How do you know you won't like it if you don't at least try it?" she smiled. "Honestly, you're like a little boy..." She walked off and disappeared inside the apartment for a while.

He was reluctant but finally managed to bring the glass up to his lips and took a sip. It was cool and tasted a bit like tea. It wasn't iced tea, since there was a strange sweetness to it that bored on addiction. After a sip, he downed the rest of it, like a child with a sugar rush.

"So how was it?" she asked, having returned.

"Satisfactory," he said standing up and turning around to face her. She now wore the girls' uniform for Ouran with a few minor adjustments. The skirt was shorted halfway up to her knees, and the sleeves reached her elbows where lace lines the cuffs of the sleeves.

She noticed him staring. "Oh! I admit that my ensemble the other day was a bit juvenile-"

"A bit?"

"-and it's not like the dress is a complete waste. I just had to shorten the sleeves and the skirt. Not that I'm some kind of slut that has to keep showing skin at every chance, but for me long garments are a health hazard and if i didn't adjust it, I would've been tripping at every turn. No one wants to see that."

"I'd be tempted."

He followed her outside and waited as locked the door.

"What are you doing here, anyways?"

"Keiichiro mentioned that you had the tendency to be late to nearly everything. Hijiri-sensei may not look like it, but he punishes severely for tardiness."

"What, are you worried about me?" Her tone was jokular but he didn't take it like that.

He scoffed. "The entire class will be punished for your mistake."

Her eyes briefly widened with disbelief. "Harsh," she said in English. "Well, in any case, you won't have to worry yor pretty little head. I broke that record years ago and haven't been late to anything remotely important since. I would go with you now, but I have a few errands to run, before finishing my cake and heading off."

Kyoya nodded as if he understand, but he didn't at all.

He had done his research the other day while everyone was asleep in his home. It turned out that she was Keiichiro's elder half-sister. The production of Kyoko Kururuki's first marriage to fourth-year college student aspiring to be a schoolteacher, named Toru Hyuuga. In America, she used an alias. Michi Hyu.

With that alias, she attended a prestigious boarding school that mixed Fine Arts with the Performing Arts. Her grades were exemplary until her last year when she dropped out of school. He saw no reason for it though. Her current age was nineteen years old, her only criminal record was a minor speeding ticket, and she won first-prize in a city-wide writing award in San Francisco, California.

Kyoya still felt like he was mixing something, but what?

Michiko's chest finally stopped pounding as she arrived at the drugstore. She hadn't been under so much pressure to keep up her facade in little over a year. Kyoya was hard to keep up with when nearly everything he said almost jump-started the "Immortal Beast". That's what Kei-kun would call her true inner self when they were but only children.

_Kei..._

"That'll be six-hundred and eighty Yen, please," said the cashier.

Michiko paid him and, taking the paper bag in one hand, she glanced at her watch on the other. The cake would be done in ten minutes. With that in her mind, she rushed her butt home. The combined scents of lemon and vanilla had already filled the apartment by the time she ran in.

The toothpick test passed on the first try. Now it was time for the cake to cook down.

She unmolded the cakes and set them out to cook.

_Twenty minutes to kill...What kind of trouble could I get in during twenty unsupervised minutes.._? she thought playfully to herself.

Haruhi arrived at Ouran around the same time that Kyoya's limo rolled around. To her suprise, he stepped out alone.

"Where is Hyuuga-chan?" she asked.

"She'll be here," he said, going inside with Haruhi tailing behind him. Walking through the halls, they met up with Kaoru who had a look of despair on his face.

"Where's Hikaru?" asked Kyoya, probably knowing that there little twin incest act wouldn't work with just one twin.

"He caught the flu," Kaoru whined. "And now-"

A girl suddenly bumped into him, having been running insanely fast to who-knows-where. With a swift apology, she was off running again. It was all like a blur.

"Who was that?" asked Haruhi, curiously, as she watched the girl continue to run until she was out of eyeshot.

"Gee, Haruhi. Don't you know anything outside of academics?" questioned Kaoru.

"It was all over the school about a month ago," said Kyoya, as he led the way to the music room. There was time to spare so he always did a check-up of everything needed to be done or reviewed. Haruhi and the twins usually kept him company. "She is the daughter of an nature photographer. The mother of Ayanokoji fell in love with him right after being divorced. Many people believe he manipulated her and married her for money. That's why Kanou-san is an outcast."

"That's so sad," mused Haruhi.

"It's life," said Kaoru, shrugging.

Haruhi suddenly gasped. "Wait! Isn't Ayanokoji the girl who tried to get me kicked out of the Host Club?"

"That's the one," Kaoru laughed. "I nearly forgot myself."

'Talk about a wicked step-sister...'

Makoto Hijiri arrived earlier than anyone in his first class of the day. It was not missed by the students either. They all gave him impressed looks. It was the new student. He was motivated enough to come early to catch her in any mistake. He couldn't afford to go easy on her. Miss Hyuuga had arrived in the nick of time. Oddly enough, she held a package. Instead of going directly to her seat, she walked over to him and set the package on his desk.

"If this is a bribe-"

Michiko shook her head. "It's a present. I know how difficult first impressions are, so I wanted to make amends for my lack of maturity the other day. I hope you can accept."

"What is it?"

"Gâteau mousseline au citron," she said happily before walking to her seat.

This time she chose the seat at the very front right by the windows. It was chilly out so no one usually liked sitting there.

He had been caught off guard, but quickly composed himself. It showed that Miss Hyuuga had studied. She more prepared and participated more, as expected from her. She was determined young lady. It wasn't until class ended that she dared to open the package she gave him. It was a simple lemon chiffon cake with a letter on the side. It was in Sanskrit, an old language he had always adored in his youth.

"Taste the clouds in every bite, Ma-chan,"

Tears formed in his eyes directly after reading that. It would be an understatement to say that life was unfair.

Mi-chan was completely different today. She was cheerful, polite, and pleasant. Nothing like what he knew her to be in actuality. What was she playing at? It was probably another one of her insane schemes. She did them often when life didn't seem fulfilling enough. Everyone else thought that it was "cute". A sister requesting her brother. He just found it annoying.

More so that word of their relationship had spread. In a school for people who had way too much time on their hands, it spread faster than wildfire. He could see the hosts looking at them every so often. It was a bit nerve-wracking.

"Why'd you request me?" he asked in a low voice.

She smiled brightly though he knew it was all an act. "Punishment for mentioning him," she said, bringing her tea cup up to her lips.

"I knew that it was the only thing to shake you," he said, leaning back in his chair.

"It wasn't very nice," she said. "But I forgive you." She paused. "I miss you, Kei-kun."

He scoffed. "Yeah, right. You couldn't wait 'til I got out of your life."

Michiko giggled. "You're so sensitive, onii-chan," she replied.

He stared at her for a long time, but the impression of a performance had completely faded from her features. Was she being... serious? It was hard to tell sometimes.

"I heard you live next to Haruhi in the poor neighborhoods," he said, wanting to change the subject.

She nodded, setting her teacup gently down. "It's a breath of fresh air." She looked outside the window before continuing. "And I heard that you live in close proximity to a serious someone." With that, she winked at him. "Are you finally celebrating your true self, my dear brother?"

"What?" he exclaimed. "I told you years ago, that was a lie!" He was shouting now. This got the attention of everyone in the room.

He grumbled. "You did that one purpose." His cheeks burned red, a thing that hadn't happened in many years.

She lowered her chin onto her hand with her elbow balancing on the table, looking at him amused. "I just love it how you like all red. It's been a while, hasn't it?" She paused. "It's only healthy for you to experience each of your emotions to live a healthy love."

Keiichiro frowned. "I should be the one saying that to you."

"Oh, my, I've never seen Keiichiro blush like that!" exclaimed Renge Houshakuji, who seemed to appear out of nowhere beside him.

"I wasn't blushing!" Keiichiro exclaimed, jumping out of his seat angrily. "I was mad and-"

All of the girls began to faun over him in their seats, all eyes on them now, saying things like "Kei-chan looks so cute next to his sister", "Oh, I wish I was his sister", "he has such an adorable soft side". It just ticked him off further.

"The mouse doesn't get the cheese by stomping around a litter box," said Michiko in a sing-song voice. Keiichiro and her were so close as children, but that was before the darkness of maturity overtook their lives and they slowly grew apart. One of the things they loved doing was making up codes. That one had two meaning. The first one was "a person had to be clever to reach their goal" and the second was "calm down". In this scenario, it could mean either or.

He sighed and sat back in his seat, composing himself like a bird with overly-ruffled feathers. "A clever harpy never leaves a trail, m'lady," he said, in a routine-like voice.

She smiled and he couldn't compare it to when they were children. It was identical. Innocent and honest...

* * *

At the end of the day, he noticed that Michiko was the last client to leave. She was critical thinker so this must have been thought out carefully.

"Are you leaving anytime soon?" asked Keiichiro, rudely.

"In a bit," she set a box at the table that was exactly in the center of the room. Opening the box, he saw that it was her famous lemon chiffon cake. The memory of it almost made him run over to the table, but he forced himself to walk to the door and leave. No! Not again...

"What's wrong with him?" said Kaoru as he sat on a chair in front of the table as Michiko cut the cake into four equal slices.

"That's just his personality," she said setting the peices on extravagant tableware.

Haruhi, Tamaki and Kyoya, in that order, sat down as well. Tamaki and Kaoru were both quick to take a bit, no doubt the sweet scent of the cake tempted them. Haruhi and Kyoya, however, were hesitant. Haruhi took a bit first. Her reaction was slow, but she eventually prasied her patissiere abilities.

"How'd you learn to bake?" inquired Tamaki.

"I was maybe four when I learned the lemon chiffon cake. It was my very pastry dish. My father's father was famous for his cakes, though he did it only as a hobby. He taught my father and my father taught me."

"It's good," said Kyoya who finally took a bite of it. "Not too sweet..." She poured tea for them, serving Tamaki first since he sat right next to where she stood. Kyoya was opposite of them, Haruhi was between Kyoya and Tamaki at one end, and Kaoru was between them at another end.

Michiko left for home first, letting the Host Club keep the rest of the cake. Outside, she was about to call a taxi when a limousine pulled up in front of her. One of the blacked out windows rolled down and showed Tamaki's bright face.

"You need a ride," he asked.

"You don't have to," she replied. "I can just call a taxi."

"Nonsense. I insist."

She decided not argue with him and climbed inside the limousine. She sat across from him as the vehicle began to move. After they had past a few streets, she finally looked at him.

"So what's the real reason for this?"

He half-smiled. "You caught on to that, did you?" She nodded. "You're very insightful, but you leave gaps where you're vulnerable."

"What do you mean?"

"In class. That wasn't you. You're constantly masquerading yourself. Your brother opens you up, though. I've been told I have a knack for seeing the beauty in a wilted rose."

"Is that what I am?"

"Perhaps, but if you allow it, the ashes can give birth to a scarlet treasure."

Michiko sighed. "How poetic," she said, reverting to the "Immortal Beast". "Look, I know you're the King and all, but you can't help me."

"How do you know?"

Michiko smirked. "Because helping me would mean you would have to hurt your precious Haruhi in the process."

Tamaki's eyes widened without what she recognised as trepidation. It was a look she always craved in other people.

Tamaki had left so quickly. When Kyoya and Haruhi stepped outside, they saw Tamaki helping Miss Hyuuga into his limousine. The feeling that embraced her was too overwhelming to explain. Fear? Jealous? Shock? Confusion? None of these did it any justice. All she could ask herself was Why?

She forced herself to look away and looked up at Kyoya when he put his hand on her shoulder, as if to reassure her, but of what?

"The Harpy Lady never lands the Lonely Prince in the end," he said, watching with her as the limousine left.

Haruhi managed a smile.

* * *

Next Time on Just A Game: **Chapter Four - The School Festival**

_The Ouran Host Club has been working hard for a long time and now their Tri-Umph of Love is finally finished. Their goal is to help the young ladies at Ouran with whatever romance complexities they might have with just three simple tests. This gets crazy when Michiko and a girl they didn't expect appear for it..._


	4. 4 - The School Festival Pt 1

**Chapter Four ~ The School Festival [Part 1]**

Haruka had a note, but that wouldn't save her from the wrath of her first teacher of the day. Ayume-san had made Ouran seem so glamorous and great, but it was just one problem after another. Everyone she had met thought of her as a gold-digger. They all shunned her and talked about her behind her back.

She hadn't been too popular at her last school, but it still hurt not to fit in. The teachers didn't even seem to like her.

At first running, she began to slow down as these negatives swarmed all over her head. She stopped at a door when she heard a pretty voice sing along with the melody of an acoustic guitar.

_"Hidden beneath the ground_  
_Is the spring that feeds the creek._  
_Invisible as the wind_  
_That you feel upon your cheek._

_"And every breeze that whispers_  
_reminds us constantly-"_

Haruka had been leaning against the closed-door when it suddenly flew open on account that it was barely closed and unlocked. The melody and voice stopped all at once. She had fallen onto the floor with an abrupt thud.

"I'm sorry," she squeaked, shyly. "I didn't know-"

"It's okay," said the girl who was now walking over to her. "I was just stretching my voice." She extended her hand and helped her up to her feet.

"Thank you." Haruka had recognized the girl immediately. Michiko Hyuuga had been the talk of the school since the first day. She was Keiichiro's sister and was one of the richest heirs in the world. Everyone looked up to her, even if she didn't know it yet.

"Are you okay?" asked Michiko, a concerned look on her face.

"Yeah, I fall down all the time," she said, trying to make a joke about hit, though her elbow really did hurt. "That was a very pretty song."

"Really?" said Michiko, walking back to the guitar to put it back into its case. "It was just something to sing."

"Was that an original?"

"Like I would write a sappy song like that," Michiko laughed lightly. "It belongs to April Rose, as _far_ as I know."

The bell for class sounded but Michiko didn't exactly look like she was in any kind of hurry. "Don't you have to get to class?"

"Everyone's doing this thing for the school festival," she said walking outside with her. "So class was cancelled."

A few girls walked past them and she could hear what they said clearly. _'Look at **Kanou** trying to warm up to the little princess...'_

Her head went down in embarrassment. It always happened like that. It was why she never had any friends.

"Do you have a **problem**?" asked Michiko loudly.

Haruka looked up at her in shock.

At first the girls were frightened by the sheer volume of her voice, but then one of them got up the courage and took a step forward. "Just that you are conversing with a complete gold digger. She's been trying to be _everyone's_ friend and you know how_ commoners_ can get-"

Michiko smiled. "In that case, then I guess Haruhi-kun is the same way."

"No, Haruhi is great-"

"Pretty is the world you're looking for," said Michiko, frowning at them. "Just because you aren't attracted to this girl here doesn't justify how you've treated her." She smirked. "In fact, it makes you uglier."

"Nicely said." She turned around to see Hikaru behind them with his hands in his pockets.

With that, the girls left in a huff and Haruka couldn't help but blush. It was the first time that anyone had stood up for her.

"It's about time that someone told them off," said Hikaru.

"They won't mess with you again," Michiko reassured her, placing her hand on her shoulder. "You shouldn't let people push you around. I know if it were me, I would-"

"No one's as bipolar as you, Hyuuga-san," said Hikaru. "All she's good for is making cakes-"

Michiko pouted. "You weren't here a week ago."

He shrugged. "So," he said. "Kaoru brought me some..."

It was like they were arguing, though it didn't look all too serious since it was amusing. Out of nowhere, a great growl thundered from within Michiko's own stomach. Haruka and Hikaru stared at her in awed disbelief.

"Don't look at me like that!" she snapped, blushing slightly. "I'm a growing girl and I need nutrition."

Hikaru smiled. "C'mon, Kanou-san," he said, putting his hand on her free shoulder. "Let's get some nutrition in Hyuuga-san."

"Kanou?"

Hikaru gave her a look. "You stood up for her and yet you don't even know her name?"

"I guess she kind of reminded me of Kei-kun," she said. "It doesn't really matter all that much to me. As far as I can tell-" she turned her face to Haruka-"you're a decent person. That's all I care about." Haruka began to tear up involuntarily. Hyuuga-san was the kindest person she had met thus far...

* * *

"I wonder where Hikaru ran off to," Tamaki mused as he stood beside Kyoya who was overseeing the progress of their contribution to the festival.

"I'm not sure," said Kyoya. "But Kaoru's missing as well."

Keiichiro chuckled. "He's probably with his_ mistress_."

Haruhi punched him against the shoulder. "Don't be dumb, idiot!"

The hosts suspected the twins were actually homosexual, but nevertheless they were closer than close. To bring a girl into the equation would only result in complications. One twin would definitely become envious and feel like his brother was being stolen from him, while the other would be torn between who he should support.

"I was only joking," said Keiichiro.

Haruhi's expression softened. Ever since his older sister had shown up, he wasn't as serious and angry as they had come to expect from him. Tamaki often made jokes about how Michiko-san had him wrapped around her little finger. That's when Keiichiro would get serious and say that he hated her. When they asked Michiko the same thing, her response mirrored his.

_**I hate him.** _

The way they said it gave other hosts chills. It was odd because they always acted civilized and kind when in public, most of the time, with the exception of that first day.

_Something had happened._

* * *

Makoto walked into the chairman's office...

* * *

_**I'm sorry its taken me so long to update. I have a lot going on right now and i might just opt for making short chapters. Tell me what you think on that and anything else you might have any questions on.**_


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